The Munchmobile: Best Chowder Update

Modesty is one of the rarer commodities on the Munchmobile. We don't mean our Munchers, but rather restaurant owners and employees, who often brag that their sandwich/salad/burger/pizza/pasta/steak/whatever is the best we'll ever have.

Pat Tirotta took bragging to Olympian -- or is that Promethean? -- heights. At Pat's Lunch in Middle Township, where you can buy both bisque and frozen bait, a sign advertises "World Famous Cheesesteaks." Inside the seafood diner/shack, the 88-year-old Tirotta will inform you his soups are "unbelievable," and his lobster bisque is "the best soup in the country."

"If you don't like it," he says, smiling, "walk out the door. I don't care."

TIM FARRELL/THE STAR-LEDGER

Tirotta may have been the most memorable -- and brazen -- owner of this or any other Munch summer, but he wasn't the only one singing chowder's praises. Every Jersey Shore restaurant, or so it seems, claims its New England or Manhattan clam chowder is either "award-winning" or "world famous." World famous? Wait. Are people in Copenhagen and Kuala Lumpur really talking about it?

Maybe all the hyperbole is just a way of making up for the chowder's humble beginnings. Clams, for one, were not exactly prized by the Pilgrims, who called them "the meanest of God's blessings," according into one account.

The earliest chowders were a dizzyingly democratic hodgepodge of ingredients -- anything that swam, flew or grew in the garden was likely to end up in the pot, according to whatscookingamerica.net. In fact, "chowder" -- which may have derived from the Old English word "jowter" or fish peddler -- came to describe any fish or vegetables cooked in a cauldron.

We didn't spot any witches on our journey, although we did encounter some rather glum employees (smile, the summer's almost over!), one great bartender (April at the Gateway in Ship Bottom) and at least one feeding frenzy.

"Crabby patty was OK but we were there for chowda," Maria Brennan of Clark wrote in her report.

Let the record show there was no one named Patty on this trip; Brennan was referring to the crab cake sandwich at Sharky's Feeding Frenzy in Lower Township.

We tried chowders of all kinds and colors, and fished for words to describe them. But this is one soup that's always been tough to pin down and reel in.

We drove through Upper, stopped in Middle and Lower, cruised down the boulevard on LBI, and ended the day spreading a dozen takeout containers and one Key lime pie on a picnic bench in Point Pleasant Beach.

Key lime pie? How did that end up on this trip? You probably could live on chowder alone, but our Munchers deserved some sugary reward.

"I feel like this was an Olympic event that I had been training for all my life," Allison Rebenack of Hillsborough said.

Were any of our 20-plus chowders and bisques gold medal-worthy? The modest report can be found below.

Definitely a Big Dog kind of place -- backroad location, a dozen tables spread under a tent. Thyme has come today -- the New England clam is loaded with the herb. Some found it overpowering; others liked the soup's aggressiveness. The jury was less divided on the spinach, corn, tomato and crab soup. "At first taste, it was too sweet, but the flavor grew on me," Allison Rebenack reported. The crab cake could have used seasoning or spice, but it's an honest, bountiful one. Excellent, crisp fries; Bob Kivetz rated them the day's best side.

There is only one Pat's Lunch, and only one Pat Tirotta. Fortunately. The proprietor is far from modest, and his soups are expensive, but he's a character. His "world famous" chowders are famous somewhere, but not on the Big Dog. Maria Brennan called them "egg-drop soupy," while Katie Henry likened the New England clam chowder to "oatmeal." The Maryland crab was the best of the bunch. Nick Giaquinto definitely was Pat's biggest booster; he gave the bisque, Maryland crab and the she-crab each 9[?] stars out of 10. Catherine Ambos' summary: "Beautiful blue skies, breeze across the marsh, great blue heron, lumpy chowder. Come for the stories."

TIM FARRELL/THE STAR-LEDGER

Jeff Kaminski of Caldwell and Rick Lewinski of Hillsborough spoon out soup at Pat's Lunch in Middle Twp.

Country Kettle Chowda, Bay Village, Beach Haven; (609) 492-2858

Little more than a hole in the wall, but they do chowda right. Jeff Kaminski found the day's top four chowders here. We'll take this Manhattan; Maria Brennan admired its "perfect texture" and "great aftertaste." But Rick Lewinski said the potatoes "needed to be more uniformly cut." Different: the Rhode Island red, half Manhattan, half New England. "I like the creaminess of the New England swimming with the flavor of the tomato-based Manhattan," Allison Rebenack said. Katie Henry loved the lobster bisque. "It was buttery and almost floated on my tongue," she said. The girl behind the counter was as friendly as a nor'easter, but we really liked the soups.

TIM FARRELL/THE STAR-LEDGER

Maria Brennan of Clark, Bob Kivetz of Westfield and Katie Henry of Stewartsville dig in at Country Kettle Chowda in Beach Haven.

Bistro 14, Ninth and Bay, Beach Haven; (609) 492-6100

Casual, attractive second-floor restaurant in Bay Village in the heart of Beach Haven. The Breton Clam Chowder, the 2007 ChowderFest grand prize winner for red, is daringly different. It's a thick, almost salsa-like concoction, with tomatoes, vegetables, fresh herbs and potatoes, but the "lots of tender clams" didn't materialize. The Munch driver liked it, but Joe Jewell called it "a minestrone," awarding it a mere one star. Our grand prize winner? The crab and corn bisque, which Katie Henry described as "velvety." Catherine Ambos called it "a silky, gentle soup whose sweet opening notes segued into a dance of rich crab, fresh corn and sherry."

Don't feel like waiting an hour or more for a table? Do takeout; our order was ready in 20 minutes, as promised. The Manhattan better than the New England; Joe Jewell called the former "great," although Allison Rebenack was "concerned/confused" by the piece of chicken in hers. Katie Henry said the New England tasted "a lot like Thanksgiving gravy," which didn't sound like a good thing. Most of our entrees top-notch. Maria Brennan loved the stuffed shrimp, with its "sublime" crab stuffing. The red snapper New Orleans style, a special, was spicy and seductive. Flounder francaise a group fave. Great pies at a seafood joint? The Swedish apple pie is fine, the Key lime outstanding.

TIM FARRELL/THE STAR-LEDGER

Rick Lewinski of Hillsborough and Jeff Kaminski of Caldwell set the picnic table with the togo order from Spikes Fishmarket and Restaurant in Point Pleasant.

Morgan Fishery, 1812 Route 35 north, Sayreville; (732) 721-9100.

Blue-awninged, tile-floored seafood shack on Route 35 across from the old Club Bene. "Funkytown" plays on the radio, cook Mateo Martinez is behind the grill, and owner Joe Rescinti is out back, prepping. Check out the immense hanging lures, big enough to nab "Jaws." The Maine lobster, clam and corn chowder is terrific; it may have been the best single soup sampled on this trip. The lobster bisque is almost as good. The New England clam chowder is tasty enough, but may be a turnoff to those expecting something thicker and more substantial. The Manhattan, weak and watery, seemed to come from another kitchen, or port. The soft shell crab sandwich and the fried calamari Morgan Fishery style are both first-rate. The latter, enlivened with Pecorino Romano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh tomatoes, will make you forget every sports-bar calamari you've ever known.

TELL US WHERE TO GO

Baby, baby, where did our love -- and the summer -- go? The Munchers hit the road one last time tomorrow on our annual readers' choice trip. Which means anything is in play -- breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, you name it. Where should we go? Call the Munchmobile Hotline or e-mail pgenovese@starledger.com.

JERSEY EATS

What better title for the ultimate guide to roadside food and casual eating in New Jersey? The Munchmobile's first 10 years are vividly captured in this 220-page book, including capsule reviews of every Big Dog stop since the beginning, plus excerpts, photos, behind-the-scenes stories, best-of lists and more. It's a must for any Munch follower. The book is almost ready to be shipped! For information, visit munchmobilebook.com.

CRAB CAKE CONTEST

Jersey restaurant owners: Think you make a great crab cake? Now's your chance to prove it! The 2008 Crab Cake Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 20, at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, concurrent with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival. The Munchmobile will be there, along with our costumed superhero, Mighty Munch. You don't have to be a Shore restaurant to qualify for the contest, as long as you're located in New Jersey. For participation forms and information, visit sparkmybiz.com or call the Munchmobile Hotline.

MUNCH BLOG

Can't wait for the weekly Munch installments? Read Pete Genovese's on-the-scene blog of each trip by visiting the Munchmobile Blog at nj.com/munchmobile. For full field reports from each Muncher, visit the Big Dog Blog at blog.nj.com/bigdog.

T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY

Each week, we give away limited-edition T-shirts to the first two people who guess our trivia answer correctly. Last week's question: At what Munch stop can you find a sign that says, "Please abduct me"? The answer: Shut Up and Eat! in Toms River. The winners: Jeanine Berg of Millburn and Mike Dowd of Belleville.

This week's question: What's in bear tracks? Call the Munchmobile Hotline; you must leave your name and number.

LETTER OF THE WEEK

I am a special education teacher. Let me quickly explain why I should be on this year's Munchmobile. I am a food lover. I'm probably the only 24-year-old who cooks dinner from scratch six days a week, makes hand-made lunches every day and aligns her treadmill to the Food Network schedule. When I eat breakfast, I am thinking about lunch; when I eat lunch, I am looking forward to my afternoon snack, and this cycle continues all day, so much that I go to bed looking forward to breakfast.

I am currently working on a cookbook. I'm thinking something along the lines of "Living Without the Rock: A Couple's Guide to Quick, Cheap and Delicious Recipes," or maybe "Untie the Knot and Turn Up the Flame."

I feel that being on the Munchmobile would be a great experience for me and fulfill a part of me that is screaming to come out. Pleeeease choose me.